Chapter Three: Verbal Communication Skills
An example of a nonproblematic question is _____.
"What makes you feel that way?"
Barbara is listening to a customer explain the details of a product issue when she needs an important clarification to properly initiate resolution. As the customer continues to speak, what should Barbara do?
Ask the customer if she could please interrupt to clarify some information
A service provider can make customers feel as if they are part of the conversation by _____.
Asking questions
_____ people are self-assured and state what they believe to be true in a self-confident manner.
Assertive
_____ involves projecting a presence that is assured, confident, and capable without seeming to be aggressive or arrogant.
Assertiveness
Psychological barriers in the form of personal experiences, lessons learned, societal beliefs, and values through which people process and compare information received to determine its significance are known as _____.
Filters
Clarke, the Chief Executive Officer of Free Media Inc., writes an e-mail to David, a middle-level manager, listing all the policy changes that he would like to see within the organization. David, who thinks that the CEO's e-mail is too complicated because of its language, paraphrases the received message so that it could be shared with his team. In this scenario, when does decoding occur?
When David paraphrases the message
One technique for asking nonproblematic questions is to avoid starting with the word _____.
Why
An example of a question that would most likely cause a breakdown in communication is _____.
"Aren't you going to purchase this product?"
The question that is least likely to cause a breakdown in communication is _____.
"Could we try this rug instead?"
A statement that builds customer relationship is ______.
"How may I help?"
_____ messages are messages that are potentially less offensive than ____ messages, which function like nonverbal finger-pointing when emotions are high.
"I"; "you"
An example of provider-centered language is _____.
"Let me explain the features of this television."
Nadia approaches a service provider at a home improvement store with a question regarding an appliance. Which response would give Nadia a positive impression?
"That is not my department, but let me locate someone who can help you."
The stage in the interpersonal communication process in which messages are analyzed by a receiver in an effort to determine the sender's intent is known as _____.
Decoding
In the two-way communication model, ___________ occurs as the sender evaluates what must be done to effectively put his or her message into a format that the receiver will understand.
Encoding
Darryl thought the acoustics in the room were terrible. Whenever the speaker played an audio clip, the sound bounced all over the room and was hard to discern. What type of noise is Darryl experiencing?
Environmental
Which of the following is typically classified as the best channel of communication?
Face-to-face
True or false: Aggression can assist in solving problems; assertiveness can escalate and cause relationship breakdowns. True false question.
False
The stage of the interpersonal communication process in which a receiver responds to a sender's message is known as _____.
Feedback
Which action would reflect a service provider who knows how to focus on the customer as a person?
Finding a colleague to help a customer if unable to answer a question directly
Raj is given the task of communicating a critical procedural change to his team. He promptly sends a very concise, clearly worded email. What should Raj do next to make sure his intended message was received?
Get feedback from the team to ensure they received and correctly interpreted the message.
Jane works as a customer service executive for a consumer electronics brand. Recently, a customer spoke to her regarding a technical flaw with one of the company's products. Jane is not aware of the technical functions of the company's products. Which of the following actions will best suit Jane's and the company's interests in this scenario?
Help the customer by connecting the call to the technical department.
Mary, a customer service executive at Lakki's, gets a call from a customer who sounds irritated by a delayed delivery. Identify the response that will best suit Mary in this scenario.
I apologize for the delay. I will check with the logistics department and get back to you as soon as I can.
Carol is angry that a product she ordered online hasn't been delivered to her. She calls the customer service hotline asking for an explanation. Which of the following responses from the customer service executive is most likely to help in avoiding a negative impression?
I will check with our logistics team and get back to you soon.
A customer service professional relies on _____ skills to communicate effectively with others by building trust, demonstrating empathy and showing compassion.
Interpersonal
Jodi is a pediatric nurse who would rely on her _____ skills when speaking with concerned parents to reassure them and clarify follow-up instructions.
Interpersonal
Which of these customer service professionals is using verbal finger-pointing?
Jose told his customer "If you had kept your receipt, I could refund your money."
Connie works in a coffee shop and makes it a point to ask the name of each guest and recall it for future visits. She also takes time to ask about each guest's day. Connie is demonstrating which element of the PLAN model for customer communication?
Let your customer know they are important
When a customer complains about the store's refund policy, Julian agrees and gives the customer a toll-free number to call the corporate office. By deferring responsibility, Julian is ignoring which element of the PLAN model for positive customer communication?
Let your customer know they are important
Some theme parks have adopted the policy of referring to customers as "guests." Which part of the PLAN process does this policy demonstrate?
Let your customers know they are important
Which of the following is a way to demonstrate assertiveness?
Listen openly to the customer
The ______________ is the idea or concept that you or your customer wishes to convey.
Message
Which of the following terms is classified as a global term?
Never
_____ is the practice of a message receiver giving back in his or her own words what a sender said.
Paraphrasing
Brian knows that he can become impatient when customers go into unnecessary detail regarding a product return. He makes a point of not interrupting and staying pleasant as customers share their information. Brian is demonstrating self-awareness of a(n) _____ and modifying his behavior so it does not decrease customer satisfaction.
Pet peeve
Lucy manages a team of customer service professionals. Each month she guides her team in role-playing exercises of select customer scenarios. Which aspect of the PLAN process is Lucy supporting through these exercises?
Prepare for positive customer interactions
When she began her job, Micah was provided with a product guide and was asked to study the information in the guide so she was better equipped to speak with customers who called with inquiries and complaints. Which part of the PLAN process does this demonstrate?
Prepare for positive customer interactions
According to the PLAN guide, the first step a customer service professional should take is _____.
Prepare interactions
One contributing factor in a communication breakdown may be a _______.
Problematic question
The component in the two-communication model that gathers the sender's message and decides how to react to it is the _____.
Receiver
Reuben comments about the poor-service standards of a retailer in an online customer forum. The retailer replies in the same online forum saying it will improve its service standards in the future. In this scenario, the retailer is the ____ to Reuben's message and switches to the role of a _____ when it replies to Reuben's comment on the online platform.
Receiver; Sender
In a two-way communication model, the _____ chooses the communication channel and encodes the intended message.
Sender
Encoding is the stage in the interpersonal communication process in which the _____ decides what message will be sent and how it will be transmitted along with considerations about the _____.
Sender; receiver
Jennifer is a server and makes a point of asking customers how their day is going and what they have planned. She responds with encouragement or finds a way to relate to their experiences. Jennifer is using _____ to make a personal connection with her customers.
Small talk
Why do customer-service professionals use small talk while delivering service to customers?
To communicate on a personal level
True or false: A customer service professional must be aware of their own pet peeves, as well as those of individual customers.
True
True or false: Assertiveness is a learned skill.
True
True or false: The ways in which you sit, position your body, or use facial expressions can all send positive or negative messages.
True
Each time a customer service professional interacts with a customer over the phone, they are participating in _____ communicaiton.
Two-way
A way to demonstrate assertiveness is to _____.
Use appropriate eye contact
When approached by a customer wanting to return a product, which response by a cashier would be best?
"We're sorry this product did not meet your needs. I will process the return for you."
Positive language is important when interacting with customers. How might the question "Why don't you like this product?" be reworded to facilitate a more positive interaction?
"What is it about this product that does not meet your needs?"
An example of a negative question is _____.
"Why do you want that product?"
To build rapport with a customer calling with an issue, a customer service representative would _____.
Ask the customer for input on what action would best address the issue
A service provider should always focus their message on the _____.
Customer
Janet sends a scanned copy of her wedding card to Carly over e-mail. Identify the channel from the scenario.
Colin has been asked to stop by his supervisor Ted's office for a discussion. At his last job, the supervisor was never satisfied and regularly reprimanded employees without a reasonable explanation. Colin prepares to defend himself during his meeting with Ted. Colin's defensive attitude based on past experience represents a communication ______ that could negatively impact his discussion with Ted.
Filter
Colin is a math major and enjoyed the speaker's talk that focused on using calculus in everyday life. His roommate said he hated the presentation because he never understood math. Which aspect of the interpersonal communication model is affecting their individual perceptions?
Filter
Matt writes an e-mail to Jack and Mark, informing them that a product has been flagged as defective and they should notify any customers who call that they will receive an immediate refund. Identify the sender in this scenario.
Matt
Juan explained to the customer that the items he wanted would ship by Tuesday and the customer responded that he had to have everything no later than that Monday. After he hung up the phone, Juan didn't know if the customer was angry because the items would ship a day after he wanted them or if he was happy because they were shipping almost a week before he needed them. Which part of the interpersonal communication model does Juan need to clarify?
Message
Which of the following is classified as a psychological factor of noise?
Mood
As Kelly approached the customer service counter she noticed that the representative never looked away from his computer screen. What type of feedback is the representative providing?
Nonverbal
While answering a customer's question, Joyce noticed a puzzled look on the customer's face and asked "Did I explain that clearly?" to which the customer nodded. The customer in this exchange is exhibiting what form of feedback?
Nonverbal
When Jamie knocked on Bill's office door, he immediately made eye contact and stood up to greet her. Bill's actions are an example of _____.
Nonverbal feedback
Heidi responded to a customer, "I am so sorry the dress didn't arrive on time for the engagement party. If I understand you correctly, you would like to return the dress to your local store instead of shipping it back to the company. Is that correct?" What is Heidi using in her communication?
Paraphrase
A customer has waited in a line for about half an hour to meet the customer service executive. Examine the following and identify the one that is best suited as response for this scenario.
Thank the customer for being patient, apologize for the delay in service, and ask how you can be of help.
Which scenario is an example of two-way communication?
A waiter welcomes a table of new guests and gathers their order information.
When interacting with customers, Elijah always uses "I" language, empathizes with their frustrations, and works quickly to find acceptable solutions. Which aspect of the PLAN model for positive communication with customers is Elijah demonstrating?
Address your customer's expectations positively
Before placing a caller on hold, a customer service person should _____.
Ask permission